Caught in the Middle
by MidnightBoredom
Summary: Life is a maze, and love is a riddle. Katniss Everdeen has seen how her mother fell apart when her father died and can't imagine ever marrying. If love made you so dependent on another person that you can't survive without them she didn't want it. Set in an alternate universe where while they still live in Panem, there are no Hunger Games, this is Katniss and Peeta's story.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey Guys! This is a new story where, while it's set in an AU, they still live in District 12 and Panem and the Capitol are basically the same except for one difference. No Hunger Games. This will be an Everlark fic but I do want it to be a process, so it won't be immediately. I honestly have basically no story planned and pretty much made this up as I went along so... Hope you guys like it.**

I walk quietly through the meadow until I reach te edge where Gale is already sitting. I ease down to the ground and look over at Gale. He lays with his legs out in front of him leaning back on his elbows, face toward the sun, relaxed. I mimic his position and look at the soft clouds dotting the sky. Gale is a good-looking boy. I hear the girls at school whispering about him. Some of them are jealous of me for spending time with him. Mara and Amanda even glared at me the other day when we left the grounds together. It's stupid of them of course. Everyone in this little town knows that Gale and I are best friends. Lots of them often forget that we aren't related. We do favor each other quite a bit though, both of us with dark hair and gray eyes. But then again so do most people who live in the Seam, and I vaguely suspect that a large majority of us are loosely related. Or maybe it's just from working in the mines that made so many of our families look this way.

District 12 is the coal mining district, and so, unless your family is lucky enough to own a shop in town, you are a miner. That's just how it is. My father was a coal miner along with Gale's, but mine also hunted on the side. Technically according to the law no one was supposed to be out in the woods, the giant metal fence an obvious reminder. But receiving such a small wage while raising two daughters wasn't good enough for my father. So he found a place where the fence was weak and he could make it through to the trees. He took to archery and trapping which became the main food source for my family. He made his own bows and arrows, and after much begging, made me my own too. He taught me how to shoot at the age of nine and the woods quickly became my favorite place to be. My father traded any spare meat at the Hob, the black market of our district. He almost always made good deals, especially when there were peacekeepers around. The peacekeepers are our law enforcement. You'd think that because of where my father got the meat they would do something about it, and surely they knew that there was nowhere but the woods to get that kind if meat, and yet they were usually the quickest to buy.

My district is one of twelve, and all are part of Panem. We are what's left of a country called the United States. There was a nuclear war that put our planet in a state of destruction until Panem rose from the ashes, or so the books say. In the center of Panem is our Capitol where the wealthiest of us live. There they have so much food that they have surgery to look thinner. The citizens almost always make it into the later years of life and so they have other surgeries to look younger. I don't understand it. In 12 if you have a few pounds to spare, you're lucky. If you make it into old age you're a survivor. But in the Capitol things like that are taken for granted. Every District after the first becomes less and less like the Capitol, and each provides the Capitol with different necessities ranging from fabric, to food, electronics, and coal. In school they teach us a small amount about the other districts. They tell us that before the Dark Days there used to be thirteen. There was a rebellion and District 13, who were supposedly graphite miners, were bombed by the Capitol, leaving nothing behind. Other than that they don't tell us much. Most of our teachers are from the Capitol itself other than Haymitch Abernathy and one or two more. They're sent here, along with the peacekeepers to keep us in line. Effie Trinket, a lady of many wigs, is our schools principal, though she's more of a joke to most of us.

When I was eleven and Gale was thirteen both of our fathers died in a mine explosion. My mother had gone into a state of shock when my father passed away. She sat in her bed with blankets wrapped around her and stared blankly at the walls all day. I could rarely coax her into eating something or doing anything, and because there was no longer a providing parent in our home, we soon ran out of food. I pleaded with my mother to wake up, to come out of this haze she was in and help me. After several months of this I realized that it was hopeless. When my father died I lost my mother too. And so I was left as head of the household and the main caretaker of Primrose, my younger sister. Prim is four years younger than me and my complete opposite. She has blonde hair and blue eyes that she inherited from our mother, who was originally from town. She has an undeniably good heart and I love her more than anything. Gale always says that the only times I smile is in the woods or with Prim. And for her sake I had to keep trying. The road was rocky for a year or so but eventually I found my way past the fence.

I was out hunting in the woods with the bow my father had made me, when I stumbled upon one of Gale's snares. He had set traps in the bushes that were made of wire and when stepped on would tighten and ensnare a rabbit. They had worked perfectly. I was so in awe of the three rabbits stuck in the wire that I had dropped my bow and game bag behind me, leaving myself defenseless, and crawled into the bush to get a closer look. That was when Gale found me, my rear end sticking up out of the bushes, a quiver of arrows strapped to my back, and my small duffel bag and child sized weapon thrown carelessly on the ground.

He had leaned down and put his face right next to mine and whispered, "What are you doing?" I'd jumped backwards and quickly grabbed my bow, loading it with an arrow and pointing it at his heart. At first he'd looked slightly startled, raising his eyebrows and taking a step back. Then he started laughing, which I found very rude. This boy who was only a few years older than me, sneaks up on me in _my_ woods, scares me, and then has the guts to laugh when I point a lethal weapon at him. I stared at him with a mix of anger and shock, as he continued to laugh while he went about pulling the rabbits out of the trap. I slowly lowered my bow and watched his fingers move quickly and swiftly to disentangle the wires. When he was finally done he turned back to me and held out a hand to help me up. I ignored it and stood up by myself, which caused his chuckling to start up again.

"What's your name?" he had asked.

"Katniss," I'd responded quietly.

"Well Catnip, why are you out in the woods?"

"It's Katniss," I had growled at him, "and I'm hunting." I lifted my game bag up to show him.

"I highly doubt that someone of your size could shoot anything other than the ground."

I had rolled my eyes and unzipped the bag, revealing the two squirrels I had gotten earlier that morning. They were both shot cleanly through the eye, just like my father had taught me, so I wouldn't waste any meat.

"Hmm," he'd wondered out loud. "My name's Gale."

"And why would I need to know that?" I had shot back.

"You're a feisty one, aren't you? I was going to offer to share my haul with you, but if you're going to be like that." He'd said gathering up the rabbits, and slowly walking away, whistling lazily.

"What would you want for it?" I'd finally questioned.

"You can teach me how to hunt," he had said, facing me again. "I know the basics of a bow, but obviously you're more experienced," he'd told me, gesturing toward the squirrels.

"Okay," I'd said.

It took us a while to trust each other, but eventually we became partners, and then friends, sharing the meat we got along with the tricks of the trade. I showed him my father's bows and gave him lessons, and he gave me lessons in snares. I don't think I'll ever be quite as good as Gale at trapping though, just as he isn't as talented with archery.

"Catnip," Gale says quietly, pulling me out of my reverie. I meet his gaze and smile slightly. He grins back at me laughing a little. As much as Gale teases me about my smiles being reserved to the woods, I know his are too. "You've been kind of out of it," he tells me.

"I know," I say. I sit up fully and turn my eyes to the ground, my hands plucking at the strands of grass.

"What has you so stressed out?" He asks.

"I don't know," I answer, "nothing, everything, stupid things." He shifts so he's facing me more.

"What stupid things?" He asks. I sigh and remove the band from the end of my braid, running my hands through the waves. I busy myself braiding it again slowly, putting off my response. "Katniss," Gale says. I sigh again and place the band back over my dark hair.

"The sophomores were assigned this stupid project at school yesterday," I tell him. "We're supposed to follow a senior around for a week and learn about their life. Their family, friends, hobbies, habits, and write an essay about them."

"That's not so bad," Gale says. "You can just choose me. We'll probably be together this week anyway, and you already know everything about me, so the essay won't be too hard."

"Exactly what I thought," I say, "and then they told us that they were going to draw names. Ms. Trinket came out in her pink wig with those stupid bowls." I groan. "And may the odds be ever in your favor!" I say in my best Capitol accent. He smiles at me. "She made this whole big deal about it. They put the male senior's names in one bowl and the female's in the other, and of course all the girl sophomores have to follow a boy and all the boys have to follow a girl. But you know Effie's such a romantic that all she really wants is for us to fall in love with our partners so she can take credit for getting us together," I frown deeply which only makes Gale smile more.

"So who'd you get?" He asks.

"Rye Mellark," I spit.

"Baker's boy?" Gale chuckles. "And you got the bad brother too, he's a troublemaker," Gale is full-out laughing at me now.

"Yes Gale, this is _so_ hilarious! Just wait till you hear who you got," I smirk. He stops laughing and grabs my arm.

"Who?" He questions me, eyes narrowed.

"Madge Undersee," I grin. He pales slightly.

"Undersee?" He asks. I nod. "Mayor's daughter?" I nod again. "The one you eat lunch with?"

"Yes Gale, Madge Undersee, the mayor's daughter that sits with me at lunch, I tell him. "She's really not so bad."

"Yes, but is she the one with a crush on me?" He asks, head in his hands.

"Which one doesn't again?" I laugh. Gale sighs and moves his fingers away from his eyes.

"I'm serious. She doesn't right?" He questions.

"Not as far as I know," I tell him. "She never mentions you or anything. Not that we really talk but," I trail off.

He takes a deep breath and sits up straighter. "If you can make it the week I can too." He holds out his hand and I shake it laughing.

"It can't be too bad."

**So what did you think? This was more of an introduction chapter so the next one will be better. Please review and let me know what you thought! I'm open to any constructive criticism, and or suggestions. Thanks!:)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! So thanks to everyone who followed and added as a favorite for the last chapter. I do wish more of you had reviewed just for opinions but that's okay :). But thank you to the guest that did review. So here's the next chapter.**

I lean against my locker, scanning the hall for a head of shaggy blonde hair. All around me people are talking, laughing, screaming. Couples are holding hands, hugging, a few are even kissing. It's repulsive. And noisy. I hate people in general. That sounds masochistic, but it's true. Spare Prim, Gale, and maybe Madge, I just don't like them. They have this incessant need to talk and move and make contact with each other. They're dependent on one another, and it's stupid.

I sigh in defeat and decide to find Rye after History instead. I quickly weave through the crowd, attempting to make it down the hall, and around the corner to my classroom. After continually saying 'excuse me' and trying to shove through people, I conclude that standing and waiting for an opening in the sea of people would be better. I finally see a path, and swiftly maneuver through it. I make a sharp turn down the correct hall, and the next thing I know I'm laying on my back staring at fluorescent lights and white ceiling tiles.

A boy leans down over me with an extended hand. His mouth is moving, and I know he's speaking to me, but I can't seem to focus on anything. The only thing my mind is able to register is blonde curly hair and bright blue eyes. I start blinking rapidly, hoping to clear my now blurry vision. My eyes lose contact with the boy's, and resettle themselves on the lights. 'I hate fluorescent lights,' I think to myself. 'They give me headaches.' Then my vision goes black.

When my eyes open, the first thing I see is an eye chart. The nurse's office. I jerk upright, and when the wave of nausea hits I realize that might not have been the best idea. I quickly stand up and take the few steps to the trash can before vomiting. I stand there for a minute leaning over the bin, making sure I won't throw up again. After I'm positive, I lift my head, and just before walking to the sink to rinse out my mouth, I become aware of the cool fingers against the back of my neck, holding back my hair. I swiftly wrench out of reach and turn to face the person.

"Hey, are you okay?" The boy asks quietly. "You were out for over an hour." i slowly scan his face. Curly blonde hair, bright blue eyes. Peeta Mellark.

I walked through the square, calling out to people. I held up several onesies from Prim's baby days. "Ma'am will you buy them?" I pleaded with the lady stepping out of the florist's shop, as I caught sight of the child bundled up in her arms. She stared at me in disgust clutching her baby tighter and quickly walking in the opposite direction. I stayed there for hours, even after it started raining, trying to sell the clothes.

I tripped over a pothole and fell, dropping the onesies in the mud. I stood up and started crying, leaving the clothes on the ground. I couldn't go home, I'd thought, not to Prim's swollen stomach and hollow cheeks, my mother's dull eyes. I had to find food. I walked through the allies behind the shops, lifting the garbage bin lids. Unfortunately enough they had already been emptied. As I passed the bakery the smell was so strong that my body began to physically shake in hunger, and even though I knew there was nothing to find, I lifted the lid on the trash can.

All of a sudden the baker's wife is there, screaming at me to get out of her trash. Mrs. Mellark, in large opposition to her husband, is an ugly woman with a personality to match. She stood there shouting about how filthy the seam children were, always eating their garbage. After I'd stumbled far enough away for her to be sure that I was leaving, she went back into the building slamming the door behind her. I slid to the ground in front of a scrawny apple tree, the sobs wracking my body preventing me from walking farther. There was a moment under that tree when I was ready to give up, close my eyes, and die there in the rain.

But then more shouting from the baker's wife pulled me into reality. At first I'd thought she was yelling at me for not leaving, then I noticed that she wasn't on the porch, and the noise was coming from inside. There was a loud thudding sound before the back door swung open, and the youngest Mellark stepped out with a single bright red cheek, holding two loaves of burnt bread.

"Feed them to the pigs! No one will buy them now, you stupid boy!" She called. He slowly began tearing off chunks throwing them one at a time into the pigs pen.

He glanced at me and then back at the door, making sure nobody was watching. He looked back at me and then threw the first loaf of bread towards me, followed by the second. I looked up at him curiously, surely he hadn't meant for me to have them. But he stood watching me carefully, waiting, and the bread had been tossed right at my feet. I pick them up quickly, wrapping them in my shirt, the heat pressing into my skin. When I looked back at the porch Peeta was gone.

I'd run all the way home, excitement rising in my chest. Sure the bread was darkened on the edges, but the insides would still be edible. And considering we hadn't eaten in at least two weeks, this was a feast.

It wasn't until I was lying in bed that night with a full stomach, that I began to wonder about Peeta. His cheek was red as if he'd been hit. His mother had beat him over burning the bread by accident. Subconsciously I wondered if he burned the bread on purpose so he could give it to me, but I quickly dismiss the thought. Giving the bread to me at all was a huge act of kindness and having burned it on purpose and taken a beating to give it to me would have been unimaginable.

The next day at school I was going to thank him. I kept telling myself I would. Especially after seeing the big purple and yellow bruise on his cheekbone. But then the school day ended and I was standing in the edge of the schoolyard holding Prim's hand, when I felt eyes on me. I turned and sure enough there was Peeta Mellark standing there smiling at me. I blushed and turned my head to the ground. That's when I saw it, this perfect yellow dandelion, the first of the year. And it gave me hope.

I remembered about my father's plant book that held a list of edible plants and ones we could use for medicine. I took Prim that evening to the edge of the meadow where we found dozens and dozens more dandelions. I told her about the plant book and all the plants we could gather to eat. And for the next few months we got better, having food, even the small amount, was an improvement. Even more so when I gathered the courage to venture into the woods.

I never thanked Peeta, and I know that no matter what I do I'll never stop owing him.

I step to the sink and rinse my mouth with cold water. "Sorry I knocked you over," he says, regret in his voice. I can feel his fierce gaze in the back of my head and silently pray to find a magic escape from this situation. I place a hand on the blue laminate counter, and the other on the matching cabinet, leaning my weight into my hands, turning my knuckles white.

"You might have a concussion," Peeta says. "The nurse said that if you're dizzy and vomiting you probably do." He stands there watching me, waiting for a response. When I don't give one he continues. "So since you do, she suggested a visit to the apothecary."

"My mother will give me something," I tell him, finally facing him. He raises his eyebrows slightly but then nods.

"She said you should stay seated as much as possible for the rest of the day," Peeta says.

"So does that mean I'm out if classes for the day, or?" I ask him, taking a seat on the paper covered patients bed.

"Well it's 3:40 so, um ya, you're free," he says smiling a little.

"I thought you said I was out for an hour!" I yell.

"Actually I said more than an hour," he reminds me, confused at my anger.

"Prim," I groan.

"Oh don't worry about that. I talked to Gale, he took her," he says relaxing a little.

"You talked to Gale?" I ask him. I have never once in my life seen Gale and Peeta say a single word to the other. Somehow I don't think it went well. "Why?"

"Well you guys are friends right?" He questions, frowning a bit.

"Yes," I respond. I sit there for a minute, the momentary distraction gone, the pain in my had has hit me again. I raise my hand to the aching spot touching it tenderly. "Ow."

Peeta laughs a little. "Yeah. Sorry again, I should have been paying more attention to where I was going," he tells me.

"I'm sure it was my fault," I sigh. I look up and meet his eyes. "I was frustrated about not being able to find your brother, I took off in a hurry."

"You were looking for Rye?" He asks me, his voice dripping in amusement. I nod and I swear I see his face fall a bit. "Why would you do that?" He asks his voice losing a bit of its kindness.

"He's my senior for the week," I tell him like it's obvious.

"Really?" He questions me, smiling a bit.

"Ya, who'd you get?" I ask.

"Well I was sick the day they gave the assignment, and apparently they have one less senior than sophomore," he tells me.

"So you're exempt?!" I say, my mouth falling open. "Unfair."

He laughs a little. "No, actually Effie decided I should follow my brother. Said something about bonding exercises."

"Oh yay, two Mellarks to follow around," I say sarcastically. Peeta smiles at me, and I have this ridiculous urge to smile back.

"If you're having a bad time just talking to me, following Rye will be awful. Believe me when I say I'm the nice one," he says jokingly. I actually laugh a little. I never laugh.

"On the bright side you can write both papers about him," I say. "It's the least you could do after giving me a concussion." But in the back of my mind I know that he owes me nothing, it's the other way around. He laughs quietly.

"So how are you going to get home?" He asks after a minute. "I'm pretty sure you can't walk that far yet." I almost protest but I know he's right.

"I don't know," I sigh.

"You know, my place is a lot closer, and we could just start on the Rye project." He says. "You can call Prim from there." I shouldn't say yes. I should just force myself to walk home. Tough it out. But I don't want to. I tell myself it's because I could thank him. If I do this project with him I can build up the nerve to thank him. So I say yes.

**So what'd y'all think? I've tried to keep as much as the background stories as possible. Meeting Gale, the rain scene, though I did rewrite them in my own words. You probably noticed that the school seems pretty modern. Katniss never describes the school much in the books and so for this story to work I want it to be pretty modern. I know they're slightly out of character in this. Sorry :(. Pretty pretty please review and let me know what you think so far. I'm completely open to any suggestions or constructive criticism. Thanks guys!**


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